Noise shield for hearing aids



April 18, 1950 G. A. MITCHELL NOISE SHIELD FOR HEARING AIDS Filed Jan. 2, 1948 Patented Apr. 18, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE NOISE SHIELD FOR HEARING AIDS George A. Mitchell, Spring Lake, Mich.

Application January 2, 1948, Serial No. 34 3 Claims. (01. 179 -178) The present invention pertains to hearing aids and more particularly to a noise shield for such devices.

Hearing aids are usually supported on an inner garment in a manner such that they are hidden from View by an outer garment. For example,

the instrument may be supported in a shirt pocket and concealed by the wearers coat. In any case, the instrument is subjected to a highly objectionable noise resulting from the rubbing together of an outer layer of clothing against an inner or' underlying layer or by the rubbing of an outer layer directly against the case of the instrument and especially that portion of the case adjacent the microphone.

Various attempts have been made to overcome or eliminate such objectionable noise as by fashioning a hearing aid case so that the microphone is substantially recessed within the case, or by the use of shock absorbing suspensions for the microble of effectually overcoming and substantially eliminating the objectionable noise incident to the wearing of the aid.

Another object is to provide a simple attachment for hearing aids in the form of a shield presenting a smooth surface for engagement by the outer or concealing garment and serving to substantially eliminate the production of noise incident to the movements of the wearers garments.

Still another object is to provide a noise' shield as an attachment for hearing aids so constructed and arranged as to present a smooth surface for engagement by the outer garment and serving at the same time as a separator between inner and outer layers of clothing so as to prevent them from rubbing one upon the other.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the following description proceeds, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a. hearing aid positioned for use and showing in phantom a noise shield constructed in accordance with the present invention in place.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in section of the hearing aid with the noise shield in position.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the noise shield in place on a hearing aid.

shown) for the device.

Fig. 4 is a rear perspective view of the noise shield.

Fig. 5 is a plan view similar to Fig. 3 but illustrating a modified form of the noise shield.

While an illustrative embodiment of the invention has been shown in the drawings and will be herein described in considerable detail, it should be understood that the intention is not to limit the invention to the embodiment shown, but, on the contrary, it is intended to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

By way of illustration a noise shield 10 embodying the instant invention is shown applied to a conventional hearing aid I2. The latter includes a case [4 having an aperture [6 therein behind which is positioned a microphone (not As is customary, the hearing aid [2 is provided with a spring clip H to attach the aid to the users clothing as, for example, to a pocket l8 of a shirt Hi.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the noise shield [0 comprises, in general, a guard plate 20 and a supporting member 22. The plate 20 is constructed to provide a smooth surface against which an outer layer of clothing such as a coat 24 can rub, and for best results an unbroken highly polished surface should be provided. As shown, the plate 20 has a substantially flat central portion 26 of suificient width to extend entirely across the front of the hearing aid case [4. The central portion 26 merges gently with end portions 28, the

latter being turned rearwardly to extend around the corners of the case M in spaced relation thereto. It is to be noted also that the edges of both the central and end portions are rounded so as to be free from any sharp or rough edges in order to prevent noise that might be produced by the outer layer of cloth rubbing thereover.

The supporting member 22 is of generally U-shape and comprises legs 30 and a connecting or bight portion 32. To position the noise shield on the hearing aid l2 the user merely slips the bight portion 32 under the clip I! outside the pocket I8, the legs 30 being spaced apart a sufficient amount so that the clip I! will pass therebetween (Figs. 1 and 3). To prevent damage to the clip when the shield is installed, the bight portion 32 is made relatively thin.

Besides supporting the noise shield, the member 22 serves to space the guard plate 20 outwardly. Thus the outer layer of clothing 24 is spaced from the case It, and, in this instance,

the two outer layers of clothing, namely the pocket [8 and the coat 24 are held apart so that they can not rub together. Additionally, it is desirable that the outermost layer of clothing also be prevented from rubbing against the case [4. To this end, I make the length of the legs 30 of the member 22 and the height of the central plate portion 26 suflicient to hold such clothing layer outwardly far enough to maintain a space between. itandgthe: upper forward edge ofv the case If (Fig. 2). Below the shield Iii theouter layer 24 will normally hang in spaced relation to the layer l8 and the case 14.

Where the hearing aid is supported; as. illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, no noise is produced between the pocket I8 and the case M becausethe clip I! and the weight of the; instrumentlsubstantially eliminates any relative movement between the two.

Referring now to Fig. 5 of the drawings, there shown! is a. modified:- construction; embodying. the invention which differs from the first embodiment-' in; that provision. is a made.- to; accommodate hearing; aids having attaching. clips: positioned on the sidesforbachof the'hearin'g aid case.- In

this-embodiment of thezinvention-thenoise shield comprisesaplate 2.011 and a supporting; member 22a. The plate-20a; is constructed.substantially like: thatinthe; first embodiment. disclosed and provides a smooth unbroken surf-ace against.

1 such aidszthe -shield will besupported slipping the bight portion32a thereunder. Other-hearing aidsare provided with-a pair. of clips. Hit-disposed onthe; oppositesides of thexaid, aszshownein: dotted linesand with such. aids the. shield issupportedeby inserting. the. legs 3.0a. thereunder. 'In

either. event.- the plate 2c is spaced'outwardlyfrom the front-'01 v.thecase- Md and. thus amouter. layer of. clothing; is prevented: fromrubbingagainst vthecase and. from rubbingagainst amadiacent. ;layer of. clothing. 7 r

It. will. be: observed. that theconstruction.- of the shield is exceedingly simple. so. as-zto .besusceptible 'of; manufacture.- at a-very low. cost. But

notwithstanding its. simplicity, it-.. has proved in extensive tests,- under: all ofthevariousconditions 7 encountered in use to eliminate efiectually the clothing noise to which users of hearing aids have been plagued.

I claim as my invention:

1. For use with a hearing aid of the type adapted to be suspended from one of two layers of clothing normally worn in overlying and rubbing relation with respect to each other, a noise shield including a plate and supporting means having; an element connected with the plate for attachment on one sided the case of the hearing aid and serving to space the plate therefrom and to separate the said layers of clothing, said plate providing a smooth surface for engagement by one of the clothing layers to substantially eliminate noise-produced by frictional engagement between 1 the two. clothing layers.

2. For use with a hearing aid of the type adapted to be suspended from one of two layers of clothing normally worn in overlying and rubbing;.relation. with: respect to each; other, a: noise shield: comprising; a plate' providing a smooth outer surface for engagement by the outer clothing'layeranclfi supporting means connected: with the plate and serving to space the sameaoutwa-rdly 1 fronrthe'case of the hearingaidand to'hold the enter one of the tWoclothing. layers in spaced relation to the inner clothing layer:

'3; A'- noiseshield for use: witha: hearing aid ofthe'type'ha'ving a casewithaclip thereon for suspending the hearing aid from: one oftwo layers of clothing normally; worn inv overlying and:rubbing relation'with respect to each other, said-noise. shield comprisinglin combination; a plate providing a smooth outer surface for engagement by the-outer one'of the-clothing layers andimeans connected to saicl plate and including an element for reception under the clip to supportithe plate in-outwardly spaced relation to the case-of. thehearing.v aid and tohold said clothing layers apart.

GEORGE A. MITCHELL.

REFERE-NQES CITED The following references are=of record in. the file of this patent:-

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number; Name Date. I 2253,216 Wengel Aug. 19-, 194 1 2,321,320. Shapiro Aug; 17, 1943 OTHER REFERENCES lPamphlet on.We'stern Electric Model. 63 WECO T2164, especially the middle page. 

